WarioMan

Once upon a time, there lived four young heroes who, under the guidance of two benevolent rulers of an angelic kingdom, train when they can to follow the Contras' footsteps. Aaron, Ami Onuki, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean had always come prepared, oftentimes alongside Blaze Bomber (the inventor of the group) and Arctic Bomber (the reckless one), to beat back the forces of darkness in any shape, size or form, keeping Earth safe for a long time to come.

These four heroes: 9-Volt, Phoebe, Cheerful White (aka. Shirobon) and Cute Pink (aka. good Pretty Bomber), were each bestowed their own Skyworld weapons, all of which had been forged carefully with purity and strength.

9-Volt, from Diamond City, with the power of electricity via the Phosphora Bow...Phoebe, also from Diamond City (not to mention the princess of Video Game Dream), with the power of bowling and metal via the Ball Cannon...White, from planet Bomber, with the power of fire via the Wolf Claws - and his trusty toon bombs as well...Pink, also from planet Bomber, with the power of water via the Aquarius Blade...yet she also relies on her bombs for other situations...

Pit and Phosphora, the star-cross'd lovers of Skyworld, would watch over them in spirit in case they need protection...

Today, the four good children visited a virtual-reality arena in Wario Park after school was over for the weekend, resembling the ever-popular Battle Mode from the Bomberman franchise. Up to ten guests would duke it out in various stages and game modes alike, plus the option to do so in a free-for-all, or team battles. However, the arena was temporarily closed for improvements, so the kids had to settle for a two-on-two battle at Wario's house, rather than at 9-Volt's (since his mom, 5-Volt, doesn't approve of any activity she deems as "roughhousing"), in the backyard.

"Can't we just say it's Wario being Wario?" suggested White. "What? He usually does stupid things around the house, but you don't hear any neighbors complaining."

"Plus we shouldn't use our bombs either, White..." said Pink. "So to make sure we won't arouse any suspicion, we'll use the special bombs that don't burst in fiery explosions nor singe other people's clothes."

"You mean..."

"You got it, Pheebs." The pink Bomber-girl with the golden heart emblem up front on her helmet, pulled out what looked like a typical bowling ball-sized toon bomb, only it was soft like a bouncy ball, its fuse being pink and shaped like a heart when lit. "Ta-da!"

"Oh yeah, the Soot Ball!" White pulled out one of his own. "Us Bombermen and women use these in our daily training! Here, we'll set up a whole batch to share with you and 9-Volt."

"Thanks, guys!" smiled Phoebe. "Well, let's have a blast for fun!"

--------------------

Meanwhile, a familiar character was watching them from the window. Soot Ball? Bah, what kinda ridiculous name for a bomb is that? Oh well, back to Street Fighter V on my PS4!

--------------------

"Uh, White?" 9-Volt asked again. "Just to make sure I'm on the same page with you guys, it's really not another of..."

"Don't worry! Like Pheebs said, it's all family-friendly fun! Now, are you ready to duke it out alongside me?"

[End BGM][Playtime BGM: Play Nicely, Everyone (Mario Party DS)]

"Mm-hmm. I'll do my best! Here we go!" He came running towards the girls, only for them to do a side-jump and toss a Soot Ball at him, its explosion sounding like a popped balloon. He ducked beneath Phoebe's, but wasn't quick enough to dodge the one thrown by Pink.

"I got your back, 9-Volt!" White kicked his own Soot Ball as though he were playing soccer, caking Pink in soot. Now it was one to one; he and Phoebe were staring each other down in the style of a Wild West showdown. He drew his ball like a pistol in a holster, as Phoebe went for hers. He was fast, but she was faster. "Aw man! Either I wasn't quick enough, or I spent too much time playing Mario Party!"

"We win the first round." Phoebe and Pink high-fived each other. "Let's take a break by washing the soot off with the special brand Piplup's Bubble Beam Shampoo." The shampoo bottle had an image of a blue-haired girl in black and pink, winking with a big smile, and her little blue penguin jumping for joy.

While the kids took some time to clean themselves for the next round, the man of the house finally paused his game after yet another online match to check on them. "You call yourselves a couple of Bomberman players?! For shame!"

"Huh? B-but Mr. Wario, we were just--"

"No no no, not you girls; the boys! Yeah, you, 9-Volt! And you two, White; to think you managed to best me on your home planet when I showed up to 'borrow' your people's treasures...But don't get me wrong, I'm familiar with these situations. I know why you two lost the first round, it's because you're--"

"W-wait!" interrupted 9-Volt. "It's not what you think it is! We were just--"

"Uh-uh! Winning a tag match in this sport is very simple: you trap your opponents and hope they don't have a Bomb Kick or Bomb Punch, and presto! Wanna know why? Because I was the best of the best at one point, or in tag battles, me and Waluigi. You're probably thinking I built my state-of-the-art VR Bomberman Battle Arena at my park for all the guests to go have fun. But oh no, I built it for more than just entertainment...Let me tell you a story."

--------------------

(FLASHBACK - WARIO'S P.O.V.)

Long after you, White, chased me out of planet Bomber, never to again steal your people's treasures for my own personal collection, blah blah blah...I had a moment of clarity. The reason I lost was because I was new to this Battle Mode...or something like that. So, I took it upon myself to compete in the IGBF, the Inter-Galactic Bombers Federation. Hosted all over the universe, countless lifeforms from different planets competed in 4-player free-for-all battles to determine who's top dog. At the time, the prize for coming in first was 50,000 coins. Ohhh, with that amount, I could make up for my humiliating defeat and buy myself something cool for my castle in the Mushroom Kingdom! But to do that, I had to get good...which I did, as time went by.

I bombed with the best of the best, the strongest of the strong, the smartest of the smart...errr, scratch out that last part. Heh heh...but anyways, I lucked out. My skills grew as time passed on, for I was the undefeated champ. I even recruited Waluigi to help beat down the bozos in the tag-team division. OH, YES! We were da champs!

But one day, sometime before I founded WarioWare Inc., I was never the same again...A bomb came flying at me while I was busy boasting about how unstoppable I really was. It bonked me on the head and I was like 'Mama-mia...' as its fuse ran out. I was blown away, costing my title...

(END P.O.V.)(END FLASHBACK)

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"As it turned out, I was defeated not by a man, not by a robot...but by a girl. A human girl in a pink heart mask. Nobody knows her true identity, but they called her the Masked Heart. Hmph, I'd bet it was that sneaky Captain Syrup who beat me, just so she could get back at me for all the times I've defeated her! So 9-Volt, White, I refuse to let you boys lose to a couple of girls like I did! This time I'm gonna watch and see that you don't wimp out."

[End BGM]

Despite his story, neither boy or girl cared about whom Wario lost to, resuming their two-on-two match for the best of three. 9-Volt and White planned a strategy to let Phoebe and Pink come at them this time. For that, they'd need to think dodgeball, only with harmless bombs. When the girls' Soot Balls came rolling, the boys kicked them back and caked the girls in soot, resulting in a tie.

"SCORE!" 9-Volt and White high-fived each other.

"Wow, nicely done!" complimented Phoebe. "You found a way to counteract our moves."

"Amen to that," said Pink. "Knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses is key to working together as a team - all four of us."

"Sparring? You mean you weren't planning to avenge my humiliating defeat all this time?!"

Phoebe shrugged. "What, you actually thought it was just another typical 'boys VS girls' routine where it's all about proving who's better and who isn't?"

Wario scratched his head nervously. "Um...errr...I mean...I mean...this isn't a conversation for children!"

Another familiar voice sounded, this time feminine. "Oh yes it is. It's a conversation for everyone." The red-haired figure had a heart mask on.

[Busted BGM: Foolish Bowser (Mario Party 3)]

"The Masked Heart! You can't fool me again! I know exactly who you..." Wario was at a loss for words as the person unmasked herself. "...Mona? YOU? But...but..."

"That's right." She walked over to pick up a Soot Ball to toss at him, stopping only to twirl it around on her finger like a basketball. "Your training went well, kids?"

"Sure did!" answered 9-Volt. "Uncle Pit and Aunt Phosphora suggested trying something new. That way, we'll be ready for any evil Bomberman or woman that Red Falcon himself can throw at us!"

Pink added, "We were gonna do our training routine in three different teams: me and Phoebe against 9-Volt and White; then me and 9-Volt against White and Phoebe; and finally, 9-Volt and Phoebe against White and me."

"Yeah!" smiled White. "And I think we all know why Wario lost his IGBF title."

Mona flashed a friendly wink at the kids. "Eeeyup. It's not because he lost to a girl, much less me..."

9-Volt winked back, finishing the story for his "big sister." "It's because, like you always said, it was his own arrogance and greed that did him in."

Pink gasped in awe. "Wait, you mean you knew about all this, 9-Volt? You AND Mona?"

"Mm-hmm. We even told it to Phoebe, Pit and Phosphy too!"

"Amazing..." said White. "Mona, we didn't know you were the IGBF champion to end all champions!"

Mona smiled serenely at the two Bomber-kids. "I was, but then I retired to pursue my career right here on planet Earth, and donated my cash prize to charity. I only entered so as to teach Wario a lesson."

Wario panicked, fearing that if the story were to be let out to everyone in the world, he wouldn't be able to live it down. He refused to be remembered as the man who lost to his girlfriend at the IGBF. "No no please, don't tell it to everyone! Pleeeeease, with cherry on top? Okay, so I was ignorant when you dethroned me!"

"Do you promise to never again get the kids involved in the boys VS girls nonsense just to avenge your humiliating defeat?"

Wario got on his knees and pleaded for mercy. "I promise, I promise!"

"Pinky-finger promise?"

"D'ohhh...aw, alright Mona, I pinky-finger promise to erase all thoughts of that nonsense from my brain."

[End BGM]

9-Volt, Phoebe, Cheerful White and Cute Pink whooped, "YAY!" They looked at each other and, after a moment of playfully covering each other in black with their Soot Balls, they laughed together, hugged each other, and walked off with Mona to visit the Mushroom Kingdom for a Mario Kart session with the Inklings from Inkopolis. Along the way, they invited Kat, Ana, and 5-Volt to join in on the fun, as well as 9-Volt's big buddy, 18-Volt.

As for Wario, he took a look at the photo taken of him and Waluigi posing together at the IGBF stadium, grabbing hold of his gold trophy to kiss it. "I'll always remember us as the best of the best at Bomberman, bro. And no matter what happens, we'll always be better than Mario and Luigi at anything we compete in!"

--------------------

Later, in the Mushroom Kingdom via Warp Pipe...

"So what else did you guys have in mind for your training?" wondered Mona.

"We're also planning to make up some tag-team moves of our own," replied 9-Volt. "It'll depend on which pair, out of the four of us, is gonna do that."

9-Volt had something else in mind. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" He snapped his fingers to grab everyone's attention. "Phoebe, White, Pink and I have been practicing our victory dance the other day at Pit and Phosphora's palace. Check it out!"

[Celebration BGM: Victory (Bomberman 64)]

The four good children, lining up in a square formation with 9-Volt and Phoebe up front, and White and Pink standing behind them, took a bow for Mona, Kat, Ana and 5-Volt. Next, 18-Volt turned on the boombox and put it on the grassy surface, followed by setting it to play the Battle Mode victory theme from Bomberman 64. Once he had backed away into the audience, White and Pink then pulled out four rainbow-colored bombs, albeit unlit for the performance. As soon as the Bomber-kids began tossing to each other what they called the Celebratory Bombs, in juggling fashion, 9-Volt and Phoebe took to the stage by performing a dance routine to Every Little Step.

The routine involved stepping to the right and bringing their left foot to their right. Now they did a step to the left and brought their right foot to their left. Then the children took their right foot and put it in front of themselves, followed by moving it behind them. Next, 9-Volt and Phoebe used only three steps to make a circle going counter-clockwise, and then three steps clockwise. The third step in their performance involved taking their right foot and kicking it across to their left about a foot off the floor.

While 9-Volt and Phoebe did the kick, they raised their arms a little bit below chest level and crossed them as they kicked. Then they repeated the movement, this time taking their left foot and kicking to the right as they went. But right after putting their right foot back on the floor, the boy and girl brought their left foot behind them and put the ball of their foot on the floor, repeating the step with their right foot and kick on the left side. For the last step, the lead dancers repeated both kicks one more time, and did the step together again going right and then left. Repeat to complete the dance they did, at the exact moment White and Pink tossed their Celebratory Bombs up high into the sky, followed by 9-Volt getting out his Phosphora Bow to set off the fireworks with four well-aimed shots. The ensuing blasts displayed a gorgeous rainbow with a pink heart in the center.

"TA-DA!" the four young heroes blurted in unison, prompting the audience to applaud them happily. And to their surprise, the male and female Inklings were watching the performance too and also cheered for them!

[End BGM]

"9-Volt, I'm very proud of you and your three fellow heroes." 5-Volt knelt down to kiss her son's cheek. "More importantly, I'm glad Pit and Phosphora taught you guys well."

He returned the favor by exchanging warm hugs with the slender woman. "Aww, it was nothing, mom...But thank you!"

"In all honesty," Mona said whilst hugging both her "little brother" and his mother, "it's much better than the chibified 'Titans' could ever think of. And besides, they should know better than to get themselves carried away with that silly routine about which gender is the greatest or which one isn't."

Once upon a time...on the far reaches of Arendelle in the magical world of Disneyland, a self-proclaimed "greatest racer ever" was busy putting his anti-Christmas scheme into action. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time since the day Wreck-It Ralph used his own Cy-bug mutation against him in order to save Sugar Rush. And by using his "partnership" with petty dictator Purple Basilisk and the Chaotic Bombers through manipulative means, he was not only restored to his original, pre-mutated self, he "thanked" his partner by implanting a virus into Siren Bomber's brain to make her his second-in-command. Turbo how she felt about being cheated out of her selfish desires to kidnap Pit, Fix-It Felix Jr. and Wario for herself; he even wasted no time siphoning what remained of Basilisk's game boss-summoning technology from the Vaati incident into his own code.

For he did not plan on sharing anything to begin with, just as much as hated sharing the spotlight with other people and arcade games alike (much less RoadBlasters, one of Atari's classics from which he crashed out of jealousy in 1987). Therefore, he summoned Frost Walrus from Mega Man X4 to freeze Basilisk and the remaining Chaotic Bombers, and requested the three Trix witches - Icy, Darcy and Stormy - to follow him. He had also brought Flame Mammoth from Mega Man X, and Magnet Bomber from Super Bomberman 2, to be his other subordinates besides Frost Walrus. Icy thought the oversized Maverick with the same theme as hers to be less than useful because of his sluggishness, but as long as he was able to freeze things with his signature move, known as Frost Tower, she could overlook that flaw (not to mention his obvious weakness to fire).

Frost Walrus was originally marked for disposal as a Maverick because of his bad temper and rowdiness, but he avoided that when General gave him a chance to join the Repliforce. On the day they started their coup, Frost Walrus was pleased as for him it was a perfect excuse to riot as much as he liked. Flame Mammoth, on the other hand, viewed himself as the most powerful of all Reploids due to his massive size. There was nothing he loved more than stomping anyone smaller than himself into dust, which put him on bad terms with the subordinates that served under his unit, even before Sigma turned Maverick himself and instigated a war against mankind. Therefore, Flame Mammoth's unit refused to join him in the rebellion, but he didn't care as long as he got his jollies from mashing whichever pint-sized victim he saw. As for Magnet Bomber, he simply hated being the first in his group, the Five Dastardly Bombers, to be defeated in battle, and he hated Cheerful White (aka. Shirobon, White Bomber) for always getting rid of him first. All three video game bosses had their AI reprogrammed by Turbo to help him prevent Ralph and friends from thwarting his plans to ruin Christmas.

"That's right, Frost Walrus and Flame Mammoth! Mash the gifts! Send their remains on the conveyor belt to be crushed by a wonderful invention I stole from Bowser's Castle: the nutcracker-shaped Present-Cracker! I feel the same way he did when Mario, Luigi, Toad and Peach stopped him from ruining Christmas, but what I'm gonna do will be even better than his failed plan. Christmas, bah humkoop!"

"Does the boss even need to tell us exactly where to put these boxes?!" huffed Frost Walrus. "I'm not that stupid!"

"Ahh, who cares?" replied Flame Mammoth. "You gotta take pride in yourself and have fun stomping weaklings into dust. Watch, and be amazed..."

He demonstrated his point by performing one of his signature moves, the Jump Press, on a stolen RoadBlasters arcade cabinet, smashing it into bits and pieces of scrap metal and silicon chips. "HAAAH! See, just like that. But the very best part is, X isn't here to abuse Storm Eagle's Storm Tornado weapon against me this time, because during the whole battle, he was all 'Storm Tornado' this and 'Storm Tornado' that...GAH! I hate him for ruining my pride and joy!"

"So why'd you bring me here?" demanded Magnet Bomber. "Don't get me wrong; a bigger chance in the spotlight is good enough for me. But my leader, Plasma Bomber, would've been a better option. Or hell, even Brain Bomber; he knows how to build mechs that won't backfire easily."

"Ahh, but where's your sense of outranking other subordinates?" informed Turbo. "They always brag on and on about how they have better stamina and powers and blah blah blah...I know what it's like to have my spotlight stolen. Scarmiglione, the Fiend of Earth, knows too."

"Heh heh heh...You may be on to something."

"All you have to do is obey Disneyland's soon-to-be King Turbo," Siren Bomber told Magnet Bomber, "and we'll get along just fine. Then again, my singing voice will always keep every living man in line whether they like it or not..."

"And like every other kingdom, the king needs a queen," said Turbo, putting on a Santa costume. "It's actually simple: when I'm through with Elsa, the world will blame Santa Claus! He flat-out refused to grant MY Christmas wishes every year since my own game, TurboTime, came out in 1982! It was a big hit at Litwak's Arcade, but then that conceited RoadBlasters game just had to show up five years later...Bah, humkoop! A little bit of hogging the spotlight never hurt anyone as long as I'm the one doing it, even if it meant stealing Vanellope's role as rightful ruler of Sugar Rush later on. But I suppose Santa and his merry elves don't see it my way, so I'm gonna pin the blame on him as punishment! Enough crushing the stolen presents for now, boys and girls! Bring me my beloved future bride at once, for she'll be mine and mine alone faster than you can say Turbo-tastic!"

You're invited to attend this year's Halloween Party at Diamond Dojo, located in...you guessed it, Diamond City! I'm writing on behalf of 9-Volt's mom at her house because she's already helping Kat and Ana's sensei to get things ready. Oh, and don't worry about the "creepy clown" sightings going on around the United States; we've made sure it's 100% safe for all family and friends alike. Aaron, Ami, Bill, Lance, Blaze and Arctic have volunteered to assist Officer Jenny and her Chatot in keeping an eye out for any suspicious "clowns" thinking they'll try and score some easy money by robbing people.

No, it's not my boyfriend Wario nor his brother Waluigi. They're going as Beavis and Butthead - well, Wario's dressing up like Butthead, and Waluigi's gonna wear his Beavis costume. I promise, I'll keep on eye on them juuuuust in case! ;-)

Hope to see you there! Be creative with your costumes, but most of all, have fun!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Witch (and 9-Volt's "big sister!"),

Mona

"Aaand we're all set!" said Mona, having finished reading the letter she wrote herself. "Are you and Phoebe ready, sweetie?"

"Mm-hmm!" answered 9-Volt, putting on his Mario costume whilst Phoebe dressed up like Luigi. "Looks like everybody got their own copies of the letter my mom asked you to print out. But, what makes you think our guests won't be afraid just because of these 'creepy clown' shenanigans going on lately?"

"Pit and Phosphora have just about finished setting up an outdoor bowling alley as one of the fun activities, but the bowling pins we'll be using are actually the animatronics, designed by Penny and her grandpa, and Blaze Bomber to look like creepy clowns. We call it Bowling for Clowns!"

"Ah, so it's almost like that Zombie Bowl-O-Rama game you showed me on your computer a while back, only different."

"Exactly! I believe it'll help encourage our guests to overcome their fears of getting attacked and/or robbed by those psychos anymore, making Halloween and clown-themed performances safe for kids once again."

Phoebe added, "Especially Kat and Ana. I wish we could meet up with Cheerful White and Cute Pink, but..."

"I know," said 9-Volt, feeling disappointed. "They can't make it because they're already celebrating Halloween back on planet Bomber with their friends. But they told me and Phoebe to tell everyone they said hi!"

"That's good," smiled Mona. "At least there, they don't have to put up with these weird guys showing off their twisted sense of humor. Let's get going!"

Without further ado, the trio left 9-Volt's house and sped off on Mona's scooter, with 9-Volt and Phoebe riding on a sidecar hooked to its right side. She trusted Wario and Waluigi would remain on their best behavior at the Halloween Party.

Taking it easy at Wario's house since the Halloween Party didn't start until tonight at 7:00 PM, the Wario Bros. spent some "quality time" channel-surfing on TV.

The folks at Mario Toy Company are proud to announce the brand new Mini-Inkling toys! Comes with--

CLICK!

"Yo, Rock."

"Yeah, Beebs?"

"My man."

CLICK!

On the next channel, however, the TV showed a brown bear-like monster in a pitch-black background, giving out a high-pitched scream. The jumpscare alone was enough to spook Wario and Waluigi into shutting off the TV, and they hugged each other tightly for nearly a minute.

"Well it worked just fine at Mario and Luigi's house, didn't it? Boy, I can still remember the looks on their faces, whenever we'd prank them every Halloween night in the Mushroom Kingdom!" Just then, the lanky man in purple spotted Officer Jenny standing guard at the front entrance, happily encouraging the children in their costumes to step inside the dojo for the Halloween party. "Uh-oh! Pretty lady copper at 12 o'clock!"

"Oh, relax! Just act casual and we're in business!"

"But what if she--"

"Then we say our backpack's full of goodies inside for the kiddies. Easy as 1, 2, 3! She won't notice a thing."

Waluigi also noticed six other familiar figures. "The Contras might."

"Buddy, you stick to the script I wrote ahead of time, and sooner or later, we'll begin Operation Prank-or-Party. Here's what we do first..."

While the fat CEO of WarioWare Inc. held onto his backpack full of "goodies", the lanky man turned on his "Waluigi Charm" by walking next to Officer Jenny. "Ahem...shay, madame," he spoke with the most fake, if not bastardized, Southern accent imaginable, "youshe lookin' mahghty fahne aroun' deesh partsh, sho whaddya shay we polish dem high heelsh of yersh to--" Just then, a Rapidash galloped by to jab his butt with one of its hooves, which gave a purple glow. "YEOWCH!"

"Whom he had named after Mega Man's trusty sidekick," added Bill, who caught glimpse of Wario and grabbed him by the backpack. "Whoa, whatcha got there?"

"You're not bringing Stink Bob-ombs into the party like you and Waluigi always do every Halloween night at Mario and Luigi's house, are you?" Aaron questioned suspiciously.

"Ummm...nooo," the Wario Bros. lied, smiling nervously.

But Jenny and the Contras weren't buying it, and neither was Pit's male Rapidash. "Well well well," began Lance. "Jack-in-the-boxes rigged with cream pies, a blowgun with a buncha darts...wait, people make these toon bombs also?"

"I heard when they explode, bees come flying out to sting people," stated Ami. "Sorry, fellas, but we've got a strict 'No Pranks' rule for a reason, especially with guests like Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie visiting from other worlds. Now, meet my personal security system: F-O-O-T. Foot!" She punted Wario and Waluigi in their butts like a football with her go-go boots, sending them sprawling out of sight.

"Yeah! I bet she's doing whatever she'd always do in the show, just so she can look good for her superiors! But if pulling a Brock on her won't cut it...ah-HA! I know what!"

--------------------

Back at the front entrance to the dojo, Wario and Waluigi sent in a robotic boombox to play back the Jigglypuff song they prerecorded from the show one time, hoping it would put everyone within range to sleep. And surprisingly, it succeeded in sending Aaron, Ami, Bill, Lance, Blaze, Arctic and Officer Jenny off to dreamland, followed by Chatot and Rapidash. Afterwards, the two men stopped the machine and sneaked their way inside with the backpack. Upon spotting some guests, they quickly hid themselves in another room where it was empty.

A little girl with blonde hair, about six or so years old, wore a Tyrantrum costume. "Are you Dawn, whom Ash used to travel with?"

"Why yes, Bonnie," answered the blue-haired girl in a Piplup costume, obviously older than her. "It's very nice to meet you! I was just telling Serena how fun things will be whenever she gets to the Hoenn region. Who knows, maybe she'll run into me and even May along the way in the Pokemon Contests. But I'm glad to hear Serena and Ash will be keeping in touch every now and then."

"Mm-hmm. I'm gonna miss them when we get back...but on the other hand...I think you'd make a great keeper! My big brother Clemont needs a dependable wife, so I'd like for you to take good care of him! Please?"

Dawn could only sweatdrop in response. "Erm...keeper?"

Clemont (dressed up like Chespin), having overheard the conversation, freaked out in front of everyone. "AAAAAAAH! BONNIE, I TOLD YOU TO STOP THIS A MILLION TIMES!" He activated his Aipom Arm and pulled her away. "Uh, sorry about my sister, Dawn! Ahhh, this is SO embarrassing!"

[End BGM][Resume Overworld BGM]

"Wait, so you guys are really leaving?" 9-Volt asked Serena, who disguised herself as Princess Peach.

"Mm-hmm...We've just saved Lumiose City and the entire Kalos region by a close shave from the evil Team Flare. A fitting end to our journey...but that doesn't mean Ash and I aren't together anymore. We always will be...in here." The girl pointed at her chest to emphasize what she said. "I know that now...but my advice for both you and Phoebe: don't give up on your imaginations about me and Ash doing fun things. As long as you and your friends always believe in us both...my love for Ash will remain strong."

"Don't worry, Serena," assured Phoebe. "We'll always support the two of you no matter what."

"Aww...thanks, guys." With happy tears in her eyes, Serena hugged them as tightly as she could, holding on for a few seconds before letting go. "So what are we waiting for? C'mon, let's go play the Halloween games Pit and Phosphora already set up!"

In the meantime, Keyla talked with Bonnie, having overseen the "please be my big brother's wife" scene. "Bonnie, you shouldn't try and play matchmaker with your brother. When the time is right, he'll meet that special someone." Though Bonnie felt defeated, the 5-year-old Vampire Princess of Roseland comforted her, not meaning to make her feel bad. As she hugged Bonnie and Dedenne, she continued, "If you want him to be happy, let him make his own choices. I care about my adoptive big brother too and he's not always right being a vampire, but I still let him do what makes him happy. I mean, look at 9-Volt. He's still young, but he's in no hurry. That's why Maya, Patricia and I love him as friends and Best Bouncing Ball Buddies."

As soon as 9-Volt and Phoebe huddled up with their friends, Wario and Waluigi saw the chance to strike. "Bee Bomb ready, and...Gimme the match, Waluigi."

"Drat, I forgot to bring them!"

"No worries, we'll just use...ah yes, Ashley's wand! Usually she'd never leave her mansion without it." He picked it up and swung it around, casting a fireball spell on the bee-painted bomb's fuse. Unfortunately, it went off on the Wario Bros. instantly, sending out a swarm of angry bees to sting them really good!

Try as they might to minimize further bee stings, their cries and the buzzing sounds of the bee swarm were drowned out by the large crowd, and no sooner than the bees stung the pranksters did they fly their way out of the dojo and out of sight.

[End BGM]

--------------------

After pulling the stingers out of their bodies, the Wario Bros. focused on planting the jack-in-the-boxes all over the floor, and placed post-it notes on each one saying "FREE TREATS!" to make it look convincing.

Outside the dojo, the whole group prepared themselves for the first Halloween game of the evening: Bowling for Clowns. Of course, Pit and Phosphora had obviously planned for everyone to participate in the activity firsthand, before trying out all the other attractions for a chance to win prizes: a pumpkin mini-golf game, a balloon-popping game, Hoopa's Surprise Ring Toss (or so Pit calls it), a Hoopa-themed pinball machine designed by - and on loan from - Pin Bomber (Arcade Bomber's cousin), and even the Pac-Man Battle Royale arcade machine temporarily brought from Blaze Bomber's Diamond Arcade World.

"Wait a minute! Can't we settle this in Pac-Man Battle Royale like civilized party animals?" begged Waluigi. "C'mon, we promise to keep our Halloween pranks to ourselves in the Mushroom Kingdom!"

"You didn't have to turn us into clown-like bowling pins with Ashley's magic wand!" cried Wario. "MONA, MAKE THEM STOP!"

"Wario, you and your brother know better than that," scolded Mona. "And to be honest, the only reason I choose to remain your girlfriend is so I can keep you in line, even if it means protecting you from your own selfish greed in any way possible. Plus, the children of the city need help in overcoming their fears of getting mobbed by creepy clowns, and the last thing we need is for you two to pull crazy stunts like that. I <i>care</i> about you as a person, and if playing on your own greed is an effective way to keep you in line, fine by me. So it's either that, or spend your night in Officer Jenny's jailhouse cell."

"D'ooooh...Awww, how can I say no to such a pretty face like you?" Wario cracked up a goofy smile.

"Ugh!" Waluigi whined in disgust. "Wario, you're killing me!"

"Oh, pipe down, you big jerks!" hushed Yuffie, who wore an April O'Neil costume from the 2012 version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. "You're only proving to me further that clowns are evil and can't be trusted around kids! I will NEVER trust the clowns!"

[End BGM][Moment BGM: Going for the Coins (Mario Party 2)]

Before the ninja teen could step up to the lane, Mona stopped her momentarily. "Wait, I have a better idea. 9-Volt and Phoebe can take the shot together, while we encourage them all the way."

"Besides, Yuf, what better way for everyone to stop being afraid of clowns than this?" agreed Pit. "Right, Phos?"

"Exactamundo! 9-Volt, Phoebe, you ready?" Phosphora flashed the two Nintendo kids an affectionate smile, followed by a sly wink.

"READY!" beamed the kids happily, holding onto a black bowling ball light enough for them to carry as Keyla, Patricia and Maya cheered them on.

"Let's show those clowns what we're capable of so we can get our party started. Now repeat after me: One, two, SWING!"

Following the instructions from 9-Volt's guardian angel, the Nintendo fanboy and Bomberman fangirl lined up their shot, repeating the three words spoken unto their minds and released their ball straight at the "pins." It didn't take much for them to bowl a strike, making everyone happy and proud of them. And if Officer Jenny's instincts were spot-on, it wouldn't be long before the "creepy clown" sightings in Diamond City drop down to zero for good.

[End BGM]

Wario and Waluigi, dazed from being turned into pins and bowled over, could only laugh weakly with each other. "Hey, Wario..."

"Yeah?"

Waluigi sported a cocky grin. "My man. Just like good ol' Bebop and Rocksteady."

Diamond City, a well-known metropolis in the United States (let alone California) that is just about the opposite of those like Los Angeles, Detroit, Gotham City, and even Metro City. Whereas crime was oftentimes out of control in those cities, Diamond City was one of the safest, thanks entirely to six of Earth's heroes, the Contras (Aaron, Ami Onuki, Bill Rizer, Lance Bean, Blaze Bomber and Arctic Bomber). No alien warmonger, Space Pirate, nor human terrorist would dare to destroy it unpunished without having to face these hard-working heroes and their friends, much less attempt to hide until the heat was off.

Still, no city is without a petty theft or two...

One day, Pit and Phosphora were visiting Diamond City from their fair kingdom, New Angel Land, up in Skyworld. Penny Crygor requested that they watch over Diamond Arcade World while she and Blaze Bomber worked on calibrating gun controllers for all the light gun games available, including two of Namco's newest arcade games: Time Crisis 5: True Mastermind Edition, and Point Blank X (the latter starring a bumbling pair whom Ralph and Felix hadn't seen in years). Of course, the star-cross'd lovers of Skyworld were more than happy to volunteer.

"Do you know when Yuffie will show up for her usual part-time shift?" asked Pit.

"Shouldn't be too long now," answered Penny. "She's just finishing up her duties as Kat and Ana's mentor at Diamond Dojo, so it'll be about an hour."

Phosphora giggled. "What better way to keep the arcade center kid-friendly, than to have a cheerful ninja girl around to make sure there's no trouble?"

Pit, on the other hand, squinted his eyes upon spotting the Point Blank X arcade machine. "Wait, you mean they made a brand-new Point Blank game after all these years? COOL!"

"Trust me, you and your friends will love it," said Blaze Bomber. "We're also bringing in the Ghostbusters arcade game from ICE, featured at Dave and Busters...and seeing how it's a ticket redemption game, Penny and I hired some Centurion Strongarms to help us set up a booth where people can cash their tickets for prizes. If it all works out, we might add some other ticket redemption games, like Connect 4, Wheel of Fortune, Deal or No Deal, Super Trivia, Angry Birds, The Simpsons Soccer, Grand Piano Keys, Monopoly, Yahtzee, and even the air hockey-themed Pac-Man Smash that supports up to four players. They will go in the Ticket Game room we plan to build, so it'll take a while before these games show up."

"Oooh, it sounds like you've also got yourselves a big competition ahead of you besides Wario!" beamed Pit. "Well, thanks again for asking us to volunteer!"

"No problem! If you have any questions, feel free to let us know. Alright, Penny, let's get to work."

--------------------

Five minutes later, business was going normal as usual, but suddenly, a newspaper was tossed at the receptionist table next to Pit and Phosphora. "Boy, that delivery guy never misses, does he? Let's see here..." The angel boy unrolled the paper and looked at the front page:

DIAMOND DAILY

MERCHANTS IN DIAMOND CITY ARE BEING TERRORIZED BY HOODLUMS DRESSED UP LIKE CLOWNS

"Earlier this week," says Ken the Reporter, "thieves are milling about on the sidewalks all around Diamond City, dressed up like clowns." Officer Jenny had already made her move by busting the loony crooks loitering schools, let alone Diamond Elementary, but even that has shown no signs of stopping them from doing it some more. Said "clowns" are seen performing basic acts, such as juggling, jump rope, hula hoop, etc. in an attempt to lure unsuspecting victims to be robbed on sight.

"Obviously, these bozos are trying to smear the name of children's entertainment before Halloween comes," explains Jenny. "It just wasn't enough that crooks went around luring kids in with phony PokeStops by using Pokemon GO...

SEE "CLOWNS", PAGE 5A

Pit stopped just near the bottom of the front page, shrugging off the incident about clowns tricking people. "Ahh, we don't have any one of them to worry about."

[End BGM][Interlude BGM: Witchyworld (Banjo-Tooie)]

Without warning, a purple-skinned clown, disguised as the Joker, pushed open the door whilst bringing in a boombox. Parents everywhere were frightened enough to pull their children away for safety reasons. "You have now, bub!" gloated the supposed "clown."

"Hee hee hee, you got me..." The "clown" honked his fake rubber nose, and put down the boombox before turning on its generic circus music. "I'll be right back to show you some tricks of mine, when that cup next to the machine gets filled with quarters! And no cops!"

But rather than alert the police and the Contras to the situation, Pit and Phosphora took it upon themselves to protect Diamond Arcade World by any means necessary. In fact, having read the newspaper already, it didn't surprise them one bit, that Aaron, Ami, Bill and Lance already have their hands full with a whole lot of thieving clowns littered in neighborhoods and public buildings, all the while Arctic Bomber was busy with her part-time job in Oakland, CA, at Arcade Bomber's Mega-Tastic Retro Entertainment. Heck, she'd be darn lucky she didn't have to deal with these weird crooks at work, let alone near her apartment...

First off, Pit picked up the boombox while Phosphora opened the front doors. "Let 'er rip, Pit!"

"Okey-dokey, Phosphy! A one, and a two...and a THREE!" He threw the boombox out with all his might, bringing relief to the parents and their children. "The coast is clear, fellas! It's run out of music!"

However, Purple Basilisk was just getting started. "Oh no, it hasn't!" He stunned the star-cross'd lovers with a taser he had Mosquito Bomber, one of his Chaotic Bombers, invent for just such an occasion. "There, the boombox and its circus music stay right here!"

Pit was the first to recover from the taser's effects. "Why, that dirty snake in the weeds..."

Wrestling with each other over the boombox, it didn't take long for Purple Basilisk to gain the upper hand by pelting Pit with exploding cream pies. Then he focused on Phosphora with a golden coin attached by a string on his right hand. "I guess I'd better stay here and protect my business interests, but first...Watch the pretty coin of gold, and you will do as you're told. You'll grab that meddling boyfriend of yours, juggle him like a ball, and boot him out the door like a football!"

"Yes, master..." answered the Lightning Flash in a hypnotic tone of voice, wasting no time doing exactly as she was told in spite of Pit's attempts to break free.

"Ha ha ha!" the petty dictator laughed heartily, pointing his finger at Pit's misfortune. "Boy oh boy, I really like this thieving clown shindig. If it all works out, Wreck-It Ralph and his Disney pals won't know what hit 'em, as I swipe the Amulet of Avalor from their friend, Princess Sofia! That oughta show the Trix witches I'm no pathetic excuse for a ruler!"

--------------------

"Ohhh...what hit me...?" Pit shook his head back and forth. He had to figure out a way to free Phosphora fast, or he would never beat Purple Basilisk at his own game. In less than a minute, he found his answer when he had just noticed a lemonade stand. Then he bought a cup for 25 cents, and wasted no time throwing the drink at Phosphora's face, breaking the hypnotic spell over her.

"He hypnotized you into punting me out, but then I freed you the way it was done in the cartoons!"

Purple Basilisk realized by then, that his jig was up. He attempted one last time to hypnotize Pit and Phosphora into getting out of his sight, but they grabbed the coin and threw it into a trash can. "Now now now, uh, t-t-take it easy, kiddies...it-it must be some kinda mistake!"

"You made the first mistake of the day," retorted Phosphora, "by jumping on the clownish bandwagon today! Hey, that rhymes!"

"Oh yeah?! Eat exploding pie!"

And so a fight broke out in the arcade center, with the star-cross'd lovers grabbing the pies and throwing them back at Purple Basilisk, covering him in soot and destroying his boombox in the process. At the same time, Penny immediately called the police, having overheard the commotion from outside the back room. "Dang! I'm outta pies...but I still got the big guns." Purple Basilisk pulled out a Poke Ball, tossing it in the middle of the entrance. "Go, Diggersby!"

"Diggerrrrsssby!" A large, portly rabbit flexed its arms and big ears. Diggersby, evolved from Bunnelby, was male (in Purple Basilisk's case, as 50% of them were male and the other 50% female) and had three-fingered paws, followed by his big ears crowned with muscular forearms.

"Try weaseling your way outta this!"

"You mean like this?" Phosphora got out her own Poke Ball and tossed it, releasing a butterfly-like Pokemon with a Garden Pattern. "Let's take the stage, Vivillon!" Over twenty patterns were known to exist in real life and in different corresponding colors; her female Vivillon, bearing a Garden Pattern (true to her former alliance with the Forces of Nature), was green.

"DIGGERRRRSSBY!!" Flailing with all his might, the large rabbit threw his most powerful Hammer Arm, just in time for Vivillon to dodge it on her trainer's command, followed by countering the attack with Psychic to inflict damage in return. Then she used Double Team next, her trainer daring Purple Basilisk to have his Diggersby use Hammer Arm again. On the second try, he succeeded...on hitting one of the duplicates instead of the real deal.

"Go ahead and laugh, Pit, but you'll soon be crying when I humiliate your girlfriend! Diggersby, Mud Shot!" But Purple Basilisk was so busy bragging about his supposedly easy victory, he forgot one obvious rule: Ground-type attacks don't work on Flying-type Pokemon, as Vivillon was a Bug/Flying-type. Flying attacks, on the other hand, are super-effective against Ground-type Pokemon, giving Phosphora an idea for her next move...

"Show that clown's Diggersby your Hurricane!"

Pit gasped. "In here?! But that could--"

"Don't worry," assured Phosphora, flashing him a wink, "she knows how to be careful, so her move doesn't wreck the arcade center by accident."

Vivillon started off by slamming Diggersby outside the building, followed by wrapping him in a fierce wind that flew up into the sky. In the end, the portly rabbit fell down into the ground, confused. Call it a cheap move as Purple Basilisk might, it was definitely far from cheap, but rather lucky on Pit and Phosphora's part, considering that Hurricane has a 30% chance of confusing the target.

The petty dictator growled, "That's it! Diggersby, boost your attack power with Swords Dance, and then use Hyper Beam!" Unfortunately, Diggersby wasted his turn by punching himself in the face in his confusion, therefore buying enough time for Phosphora to finish the fight.

"Energy Ball, GO!" Vivillon drew power from nature in the form of a green ball of light. The moment it grew into the size of a volleyball, it flew straight and fast like a cannonball, blasting Diggersby with a 10% chance of reducing his special defense by one stage. With Grass-type moves being super-effective against Ground-type Pokemon, Diggersby was unable to recover anymore, fainting on the ground and forcing Purple Basilisk to recall him.

"That won't be necessary, Pit," called Officer Jenny, having arrived in her motorcycle with a Chatot on her right shoulder just in time to apprehend the petty dictator.

[Chase BGM: OrangSprint (Donkey Kong 64)]

"Uh-oh! This is the part where I split!" Outnumbered by the crowd, he put away his Poke Ball and ran as far as he could from the law.

"Nuh-uh, buster!" Jenny adjusted her sunglasses to show him she meant business. "You're going to jail with all the other clowns I arrested today!"

"Go to jail! Go to jail! RAWK!" chattered Chatot.

"If there's one thing I hate more than getting arrested by Officer Jenny..." Purple Basilisk panted in between his words. "...is getting arrested by a wild Officer Jenny!" To his surprise, this was the same "wild" Officer Jenny whom Ash and friends came across one time in the Sinnoh region, having transferred from the Kanto region to get a lead on Team Rocket. Apparently she came all the way over to said region to capture the bumbling Jessie, James and Meowth, and was fully aware of them having followed Ash and his Pikachu ever since Viridian City. In the end, nobody know what became of her after they heard she was reassigned to the Whirl Islands, so it was safe to assume she probably found her place in the Diamond Police Department. Perhaps it was because she catches crooks with bowling balls and, if necessary, her Chatot...

And it couldn't be more true, as Pit and Phosphora noticed her strapping on a bowling glove to her right hand, opening up what appeared to be a bowling bag, and pulling out a red bowling ball to bust Purple Basilisk with. "Wild Tornado!" Calling out the name of her ball, Jenny took a right-handed bowler's stance and released it straightforward. The humanoid snake tried blowing air from his mouth, hoping it would reduce the ball's momentum. It didn't work, so he jumped over the ball instead, only to wind up attempting a ball-walking act for the crowd. Unfortunately for him, he lost his balance and fell on his back. "OW! I call police brutality on this!"

"Wrong, Purple Basilisk! This isn't police brutality..." Officer Jenny walked over to cuff him in the back, bringing him on his feet prior to picking up her bowling ball. "This is a justified arrest!"

"You dorks just wait till I get outta jail! I'll be back with more than just a Diggersby on my Pokemon team!" That remark earned him a slap to the face, and a trip to the slammer in a backup unit's car.

[End BGM]

--------------------

[Ending BGM: Cerulean City (Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen)]

"No way! The wild Officer Jenny whom Ash, Dawn and Brock saw one time, here in Diamond City now? You never told us that!"

"That's true, Yuffie," said Pit. "Even if the police chief didn't like the way she did her work, she's still one heck of a competent officer."

The ninja girl eyed the crowd in the distance, mainly Kat and Ana, whom she accompanied to the arcade center after their lessons were over. "At least the kids here are safe once again. Ha! That jerk thought he could get away with harassing people in such a stupid disguise."

Phosphora grinned slyly. "Not anymore, thanks to my Vivillon."

"I have to get back to work now," announced Officer Jenny, "but let me give one piece of advice when dealing with deranged crooks dressed up like clowns."

"What is it?" Yuffie asked curiously, moving closer to the others in a huddle.

"Clowns HATE tangelos, so if they try something funny to get you, just pelt them with those. Screws up their equilibrium really good."

On a sunny day in Diamond City, CA, sounds of laughter could be heard inside the Contras' house, with four of Earth's heroes living as roommates next door to WarioWare Inc. Aaron, Ami Onuki, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean were trying out the recently-released Metroid Prime: Federation Force whilst on break from their never-ending battle against evil, when suddenly they noticed 9-Volt, 18-Volt, Phoebe, Kat and Ana knocking on their front door.

"Well hi there, you guys," giggled the pink-haired cute half of Puffy AmiYumi, soon to be 20 with her co-leader being 3 years older (and her best friend, Yumi Yoshimura, a year younger). "What brings you here from next door?"

"You gotta see the video we just HAD to make," answered 9-Volt. "It's funny and about Wario!"

"Heh, can't say I'm surprised," said Aaron. "Is he up to his usual shenanigans again?"

The 30-year-old man in blue, and his blonde hair combed in an Arnold-like fashion, answered, "So far, so good. She's been learning to control her anger whenever we're out fighting alien scumbags and corrupt soldiers alike. But right now, she's just hanging out at Blaze Bomber's Diamond Arcade World - he and Penny are taking care of business as usual, by the way - playing some of her favorite arcade games."

"And like Billy said just now," noted the 31-year-old hero in red, his black hair much like Sylvester Stallone's, "the new Metroid game isn't half bad. But hey, thanks again for recommending it to us and all our friends in the city."

But 9-Volt had something else in mind. "Although, it would've been nice to play as Samus again. Oh well, live and learn, right?"

A few minutes later, the Contras helped their friends set up Mona's digital camera, which 9-Volt kindly borrowed after helping her around Wario's house, by hooking it up to their TV set. Remembering what his "big sister" told him, he went to the camera's gallery while Phoebe directed the Contras to see if it showed up on the TV screen. Once everything was set, the whole group tuned in to the video of the day, albeit embarrassing and funny as Aaron could tell from their stifled laughter, about Nintendo's lovable oaf.

[End BGM]

--------------------

(ON VIDEO)

"HA HA HA!" laughed Ana. "Is Mr. Wario singing that song again?"

"Shhh," hushed Kat, stifling a giggle. "I want us to hear his singing voice in the bathroom."

"Bring the camera just a little closer," Phoebe told 18-Volt, "and...there! That's good for now. You ready too, 9-Volt?"

"Ready as we'll ever be!" the two Nintendo boys whooped quietly.

Everyday when you're walking down the streetEverybody that you meet,Has an original point of viewAnd I say HEY! What a wonderful kind of dayWhere you can learn to work and playAnd get along with each other

The group scooted a bit closer as they opened the door nice and slow to avoid disturbing Wario, who was currently holding a toothbrush closer to his mouth like a microphone, shaking his butt in rhythm to the lyrics he sang to his heart's content.

You got to listen to your heartListen to the beat, listen to the rhythm, the rhythm of the streetOpen up your eyes, open up your earsGet together and make things better by working togetherIt's a simple message and it comes from the heartBelieve in yourself! Believe in yourself, oh yeah!Well that's the place to start, TO START! WA HA HA!

And I say HEY! What a wonderful kind of dayWhere you learn to work and playAnd get along with each otherWhat a wonderful kind of day,What a wonderful kind of daaaaay...And then I say HEY!

"Thank you, thank you very much!" he imitated Elvis Presley.

Then came a moment of silence, and without warning (at least to Wario), Kat and Ana blurted out loud, "HEY!"

"AAAAAAAAH! What're you nosy punks doing in my bathroom?! Let a rich man sing in peace! GET OUT!" 9-Volt and Phoebe led the others out of sight as 18-Volt stopped the footage, ending the video at that point.

--------------------

(OFF CAMERA)

[Ending BGM: Title Fanfare (Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman!)]

No sooner than the video ended did everyone in the house have their share of laughter. "HA HA HA HA HA!"

"Maybe he thinks it's pretty dang catchy for a song from a cartoon meant for kids," added Lance. "Still, you really made our day, guys. Thanks!"

"Sure, anytime!" smiled Phoebe. "It's the least we can do, well, after all you've been through to help protect man and Bomber alike from Red Falcon's intergalactic goons and other evildoers, time and again."

Aaron nodded in agreement. "To be honest, it ain't easy every time because, you see, global terrorism tends to be one of Earth's biggest problems besides pollution. But us good guys gotta be willing do our part, and do the right thing, no matter the cost."

"And we're proud of you for always remembering what we taught you about bravery, and being kind to others, when they need kindness most," said Ami, kneeling down to kiss 9-Volt's forehead. "Especially you, sweetie. I'm sure your guardian angels truly appreciate your assistance in making it a lot easier, and more fun, for them to protect you in times of need."

"Ami's right. Now, I think Wario oughta take a crash-course in treating you and all of his other associates nicely, let alone Mona, though I doubt he'll learn his lesson every time he tries to make off with the profits."